Maoris ask Mao to help

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34128, 14 April 1976, Page 3

Maoris ask Mao to help

(A Z. Press Association) HAMILTON, /pril 13. Te Matakite O Aotearoa protest group has sent letters to Chairman Mao in China and to newspapers in Britain in a campaign to put pressure on the New Zealand Government for action over the retention of Maori land. Copies of the letter from the group’s chairman (Dr D. 1. Sinclair) of Hamilton, have also been sent to the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) and DeputyPrime Minister (Mr Talboys). Another is to go to the Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Maclntyre). Other letters are to be sent to the heads of state and the media of the countries the Prime Minister will visit during his current overseas tour.

Dr Sinclair said today the aim of the letters was to engender sympathy for their cause and put the Prime Minister “on the spot” over the issue. The group was concerned about the Govern-

nrent's lack of action over the issue and wanted to make Mr Muldoon aware of the need for action.

The letters might be politically embarrassing to Mr Muldoon during his overseas visits, Dr Sinclair agreed. “I think it is the job of politicians to be politically embarrassed sometimes,” he said. The letters set out the group’s submissions to Government over the retention of Maori land and point out the lack of action on them.

In accompanying letters, Matakite also says that it believes the image projected overseas of New Zealand’s race relations is “not quite as happy internally” as people believe, and says there is a great deal of dissatisfaction with the way minority groups in this country are treated.

Copies of photographs showing Maori land marchers have also been sent to the heads of state.